Old bridge spanning western New York gorge imploded

SPRINGVILLE, N.Y. – A bridge spanning a gorge in western New York has been brought down in a controlled explosion.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo was among officials to press the plunger as the old Route 219 bridge over the Cattaraugus Creek was imploded Thursday morning.

In a matter of seconds, an estimated 25 million pounds of steel plummeted about 200 feet into the Zoar Valley Gorge. Crews are expected to begin cleanup right away.

The state Department of Transportation says the span, built in the late 1950s, will be replaced by a new bridge costing nearly $17 million. The bridge connects Erie and Cattaraugus counties 30 miles south of Buffalo.